General News
President launches One Million Coders initiative – Attracts 90,000 applications in 48 hours
President John Dramani Mahama yesterday launched Ghana’s ambitious One Million Coders Programme (OMCP), declaring it the foundation of a national technological transformation that will position the country as Africa’s digital leader.
The launch, held at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, was greeted with overwhelming enthusiasm, with over 90,000 applications received within just 48 hours of the opening of the portal to receive applications, far surpassing initial expectations of around just 560 applications.
Digital empowerment
In a rousing keynote address, President Mahama framed the initiative as more than a training programme.
It is, he said, the bedrock of a new economic era.
“We are not just teaching code; we are rewriting Ghana’s future,” the President said.
“This programme is our declaration to the world that Ghana will no longer be a consumer of technology but a creator; a nation where innovation drives growth, where our youth build solutions for our challenges, and where digital skills become the passport to prosperity,” he added.
He drew parallels to global success stories, citing Estonia’s coding-integrated education system and India’s dominance in the $410 billion outsourcing market, emphasising that Ghana, with its strategic location and English-speaking workforce, was poised to become Africa’s premier tech hub.
President Mahama ended with a direct appeal to Ghana’s youth: “You are the architects of this digital dawn. Seize this opportunity, not just to learn but to lead.”
Scaling up
The Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, revealed the staggering demand of 91,847 applications as of launch day, forcing an immediate expansion from the planned 560 trainees to a much larger first cohort.
“This isn’t just a training programme; it’s a movement,” Mr George declared.
“We’ve partnered with Google, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and MTN to ensure our curriculum is world-class. From cybersecurity to data analytics, we’re preparing Ghanaians not just for jobs but to create jobs,” he said.
The programme’s modular training approach will be rolled out across Accra, Kumasi, Sunyani, and Bolgatanga, with plans to activate community information centres nationwide to ensure rural inclusion.
Economic transformation
The President and the minister underscored the One Million Coders Programme’s role in job creation, referencing the potential of tapping into global tech and outsourcing markets, and entrepreneurship to enable startups to solve local challenges in agriculture, health care and governance.
They also touched on the programme’s potential for education reform to embed coding in school curricula for long-term impact, and to foster inclusion that would prioritise women, rural youth and persons with disabilities.
First cohort
As the first cohort begins training next month, all eyes are on Ghana’s boldest bet yet on a tech-driven future.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic after the launch, Afia Sey (not her real name), an applicant, said the potential of the coders programme to transform the technology industry was huge.
She said her interest for the programme grew when she discovered that a course she had wanted to pursue but did not have the funds to finance was being offered for free as part of the programme.
“This course that I am signing up for cost a lot of dollars when I looked it up online, so although I wanted to pursue it, I couldn’t afford it, and moreover no institution in the country was offering it, and I had to do it online at a huge fee that I couldn’t afford,” she said.
Background
The Ghana Coders Programme, officially known as the “One Million Coders Programme”, is an ambitious national initiative aimed at equipping Ghana’s youth with critical digital skills to drive the country’s digital transformation, and position Ghana as a leader in Africa’s tech ecosystem.
The programme emerged as a key manifesto promise of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2024 election campaigns, and has been adopted as a flagship initiative by the administration of President Mahama.
It reflects Ghana’s recognition of digital skills as essential for employability, economic diversification and global competitiveness in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The government formally announced that the programme’s pilot phase would begin yesterday, April 16, 2025, initially targeting four regions, namely Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono, and Upper East, with plans for nationwide expansion.
Source: Graphic online
The United States Embassy in Accra has announced the release of more than 2,000 additional visa interview appointments over the next two weeks for applicants seeking B1 and B2 visas.
According to the Embassy, the newly opened slots are intended to support individuals planning temporary travel to the United States for business, tourism, family visits, and participation in major international events. Among the anticipated events is the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to take place across North America.
In an official statement, the Embassy encouraged prospective applicants to secure interview dates as soon as possible due to sustained demand for B1 and B2 visas. These visa categories cover short-term travel for business purposes under B1 and tourism or family visits under B2.
Applicants who already have appointments scheduled later in the year are also advised to log into the visa scheduling system to check for earlier availability and, where suitable, reschedule their interviews.
The Embassy indicated that the additional appointment slots are expected to help reduce existing backlogs and provide greater flexibility for travelers with time-sensitive plans.
Further details on application procedures, requirements, and appointment scheduling are available on the Embassy’s official visa information page at: https://gh.usembassy.gov/visas/
Ghana’s telecommunications sector may soon witness increased competition in the 5G space following a move by the National Communications Authority to amend the licence of Next-Gen Infraco.
In a press release dated March 4, 2026, the regulator announced it had issued a Notice of Proposed Licence Amendment to NGIC, seeking to remove the exclusivity clause that grants the company sole rights to operate in Ghana’s 5G segment. The Authority said the action was taken pursuant to Section 14 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775).
If approved, the amendment would open the 5G market to other operators, allowing them to deploy the technology independently.
According to the NCA, the proposed amendment is in the public interest and intended to promote competition and innovation, enhance consumer choice and service quality, accelerate nationwide digital transformation, and ensure efficient use of spectrum as a national resource.
Under the law, the amendment will take effect 90 days from the date of the notice unless, after reviewing any representations submitted by NGIC within the statutory period, the Authority determines otherwise. The NCA emphasized that the process complies with due procedure and aligns with its mandate to regulate communications services in the national interest.
NGIC’s Commercial Rollout
The proposed regulatory change comes shortly after NGIC announced it had received clearance from the NCA to commence full commercial operations as Ghana’s wholesale 4G and 5G infrastructure provider. The company said the approval followed technical inspections confirming compliance with its Wholesale Electronic Communications Infrastructure Licence.
NGIC has deployed 49 operational 5G sites across the country. Of these, 43 are located in Greater Accra, with the remaining sites spread across the Ashanti, Western, Northern, Bono and Central regions. The network is currently live in selected parts of Accra, Kumasi and Tamale under a wholesale-first model, where NGIC builds and manages shared radio and core infrastructure, while mobile network operators provide retail services to customers.
Chief Executive Officer Tenu Awoonor described the rollout as a transition from planning to execution, stating that the shared backbone is now commercially active and positioned for expansion. He noted that the model is designed to coordinate infrastructure investment nationally while preserving competition at the retail level.
Chief Operating Officer Nenyi George Andah said the company’s immediate focus is on scaling coverage in a coordinated and sustainable manner. He maintained that the wholesale model supports faster national reach and more efficient capital deployment.
Technology partner Nokia also reaffirmed its role in the deployment. Mustapha Salah, Head of Central West and East Africa, Mobile Networks at Nokia, said the partnership would support the rollout of Ghana’s first neutral-host 4G and 5G network, enabling operators to deliver high-speed data services and new enterprise solutions.
Licence Fee Default
In a related disclosure, the NCA indicated that NGIC is in default of an installment payment under its agreed licence fee schedule. The regulator said it is addressing the matter in accordance with applicable statutory provisions.
The combination of a potential policy shift on 5G exclusivity and concerns over fee compliance marks a significant moment for Ghana’s telecoms industry. While NGIC’s wholesale model remains central to national broadband expansion plans, the regulator’s proposed amendment signals a possible recalibration aimed at deepening competition and optimizing spectrum management.
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